Sunday, March 25, 2007

Michael Thurmond, 12 Day Body Shaping Miracle

I've always exercised. This habit began by accident, walking to and from school every day. When I started going to junior highschool, the walk got a bit longer. I might never forgive my mother for making me walk allllll the way to school in the rain and humidity prompting my arrival into the school with frizzed out hair, soggy clothes and damp skin. Did I mention lugging a heavy backpack filled with books? What seemed like torture at the time has become my favorite form of exercise, walking. Not running or jogging but long walks meandering through the neighborhood with no chosen path. I just go where I want and try to clear my mind, enjoying the view.

When I was on vacation, I twisted my foot in Aruba and heard a CRACK in the bones and ever since I've been unable to walk for exercise. Makes me thankful for what I can do which is the bike and elliptical trainer. And take naps and lay in bed.

Before I left for my trip, I was following Michael Thurmond's12 Day Body Shaping Miracle book as a guide for a new routine. You need to shake things up a bit now and then, right? Keep it interesting. What I like about this book was that all exercises can be done at home. Smart, simple, easy to follow workouts are included with black and white photos. I promise you, I've built up muscles in my legs and arms, not to mention abs, during the time I was faithful to the exercises. All you need is a resistance band, ankle weights, free weights. In his book, Michael talks about eating right, body types, nutrition among other topics of interest. This is a book that I keep in my workout area, a tiny space in a cluttered garage. I refer to the book to help keep me on track with my routines and plan to continue incorporating the exercises into my daily routines.

The elliptical trainer is fine for cardio-vascular fitness. You can get a good workout but the elliptical uses fast twitch fiber. Fast twitch fiber is bulky and utilizes glycogen for its fuel source. Look at the legs of a distance runner. They are long & lean – all slow twitch fiber which uses fat for its fuel source. The elliptical mimics a bicycle. Look at the legs of a cyclist – muscular and thick. Slow twitch fiber is the fiber which burns fat for its fuel source.

Through the Krebs cycle, oxygen and fat are converted to glycogen and give energy. Since we have large deposits of fat, the slow twitch fiber can go for a long, slow distance. When I’m exerting, I’m using fast twitch fiber: sprinting, cycling, weight lifting, climbing stairs, etc. So to lose weight and slim your legs - slow jog at 65-70% of your heart rate maximum and if using a treadmill, use no incline. This will burn fat and slenderize the legs. This is scientific fact!

What music do you listen to in order to get pumped to exercise?

For music to work out to, being an old body builder, I like the Rolling Stones, The Who, etc. This is definitely a generational preference as each generation resonates to a different format. What's up with cellulite and please, is there any way to reduce it? I've been doing your exercises and have built some nice muscles in my quads but the doughy soft spots are still there. I know I'm not alone in this.

Cellulite is fat. So in order to get rid of fat, you must eat a very clean diet of non-processed foods eliminating dairy, breads, condiments, salad dressings, cheese, etc. Eat small meals four to six times daily. You must also build muscle in the afflicted areas so that it tightens up and no longer has that dimply, soft look or characteristic but a toned, supple look. Make sure you drink 100 ounces of water per day to stop water retention and help eliminate the waste from fat metabolization.

What is a typical day of exercise for you and do you take days off?

One hour of cardio and one hour of weight training along with a healthy dose of stretching. Two days on, one day off, two days on and two days off. Rest is absolutely essential for your body to rebuild and condition.

Yoga and pilates: Hollywood obsession or good ways to stretch and get in shape?

Yoga and Pilates are definitely for flexibility par excellence but not good for changing shape though they may help with lengthening. Joseph Pilates was a dancer and dancers need extreme flexibility. However, don’t be surprised with years of yoga and Pilates that your body hasn’t changed its shape much.

Tell me the best way to stay in top shape for someone who doesn't have a lot of time.

It depends on your goals and genotype. If you’re concerned with body fat, then do one hour of cardio at 65 percent of heart rate maximum and eat a clean diet consisting of five to six small meals per day, eliminating processed foods and condiments. If your goal is strength, do three to four times a week of weight training. If your goal is flexibility, two to four times a week do stretching or yoga. It is best to combine all three but you have to do what your time restrictions allow. So your goal and time constraints should dictate what you do.

I hear the older you get, the harder it is to stay in shape and the pounds start adding up. What can we do to prevent weight gain as we get older?

Yes, it is harder to stay in shape as you get older. Training and correct diet are the easiest habits to break but again, five times a week of cardio, a clean diet, resistance training and stretching will help maintain that which Father Time wants to take away.

When you break down and just have to have some junk food, what do you choose?

Just eat what you want and when it’s done and you’ve placated your cravings, get back in the saddle and keep those good habits up.

11 Comments:

Anonymous said...

I've thought about purchasing this book. I joined Weight Watchers and have reached the dreaded plaetu but granted, I haven't exercised like I should. I've read up on Thurmon and what he says. I keep thinking "One hour of cardio everyday! There is no way!" But it looks like that's what it will take. Thanks for your post. It's encouraged me to start walking yet once again but for that dreaded 60 minutes...and not quitting after 20 which does me no good in losing the FAT. @ 3:25 PM

Anonymous said...

I feel the same way about 60 minutes of cardio. My gym has TV's on each treadmill, and they now even have headphones. When I find a good movie it makes the time go by much quicker. I think great tunes or a good tv show is the answer to me getting through the 60 minutes. @ 8:03 PM

Man, do I feel stupid asking this but........... I am 41 and obviously never been much into health. What

exactly is weight training..how should one start....what amount of time should one put in it?I found an interesting website that teaches weight training. It’s pretty basic. Check it out. It’s from weight training@ 2:00 AM

The last twenty years has been a roller coaster ride with my weight.To be honest I have spent a small fortune on everything from fade diets to dermal patches.

I really thought about the diferences in body types and genetic make -ups. When it comes down to the real controls - it is not the book or the program - It is our own belief in that book or program .

Appling the guide lines - controling our eating patterns. Learning to delay our gratification. Looking at the food as more than a quick feel good - where food becomes as much of a drug as any. After all the same end results are damaging our bodies.

So what - every diet is not for everyone. I have been watching Michael Thurmond for a very long time. What I know is I have seen and heard of his diet working more often times than not. Maybe his 6 week body make over is not for me. But I for one think he is crediable and I will make that investment in myself. What do I have to lose a few bucks? Hey and it is for my own personal gratification. I want to wear that size 8 again - (and it not be my shoe size).

I have always battled the weight problem, but now as I am getting older, my body and joints are becoming more stiff. If I can just improve my flexibility as I age, then it will be so much easier to exercise and lose weight. I just need to keep moving.

"Through the Krebs cycle, oxygen and fat are converted to glycogen and give energy." ....Definitely not man! The Kreb cycle reorganizes molecules from amino acid (protein) metabolism, glucose(carbs) metabolism, and acetyl co-A harvested from the beta oxidation of fat ( fat break down). These molecules get reorganized so that oxygen is consumed and changed to carbon dioxide and water. Everyone's bodies will burn,in the order of major macromolecules; glucose first until it runs out, then convert glycogen to glucose until that store has run out, then fat, then protein. Get your "scientific facts" straight!

Hey biochem major,Actually, in krebs cycle adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is created in the mitochondria during cellular respiration. ATP is the only way energy can be used within the cells of the human body. During the production of ATP oxygen and glycogen (triglycerides(fat)must be broken down into glycogen) are consumed to create ATP, CO2, and H20. This process will not start until glucose and glycogen are used up which takes two to fifteen minutes.